City Council defers decision on district

A public hearing Monday night, hosted by the Basehor City Council to discuss a "quasi" sewer benefit district for the U.S. Highway 24/40 interceptor line, came and went without a decision from the governing body.

The interceptor line is a long-planned municipal project that will connect areas east, west and south of the city to a sewer line feeding into the Basehor Wastewater Treatment Facility. The project, virtually completed, was done so without a legal benefit district in place, city officials say.

Without the benefit district, the city will have a difficult time recouping funds spent on the municipal project.

After listening to input from numerous property owners whom the city hopes will contribute to paying for the sewer line, the City Council tabled a decision until its meeting Monday, Jan. 24.

The total cost for construction, design and right-of-way expenses from the interceptor project is approximately $1.2 million, according to a breakdown released by the city.

The city's plan is to pay for $486,426 of the project. Whether, and by what method, the city will collect the remaining $872,123 remains to be seen. City officials say they hope nearby property owners and developers that will benefit from the interceptor line will assume the remaining costs.